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by Anonymous on October 23rd, 2009
Mahatma Gandhi (Indian Philosopher, internationally esteemed for his doctrine of nonviolent protest, 1869-1948)
Source: http://thinkexist.com/quotation/men_often_become_what_they_believe_themselves_to/14113.html
+5
by Thriftymaid on October 23rd, 2009
You always hear motivational speakers state this
by Stevie on October 23rd, 2009
I know Mensan already answered but I wanted to elaborate, just because I can, so you can downrate me if you'd like.
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Obviously it was Gandhi. What I believe is that he meant by thinking something impossible automatically shuts our brains off from trying to come up with a solution regardless. I liken it to our current use of war. How often do we ever try to actually try to understand those we disagree with and come up with a better solution? How often do we just jump to a decision to go to war? Use Iraq as a perfect example. They didn't have any serious WMDs, nor did they have any direct (or clear indirect) connection to anyone involved in 9/11. Yet here we are 6 years later still involved in violence in Iraq.
by Bob on October 23rd, 2009
[jokingly] governor sanford???
Who said you can't judge a book by its cover?
by Answerbag Staff on March 22nd, 2010
| 1 person likes this
Napoleon Bonaparte: "History is a fable agreed upon." Agree or disagree? Why?
by Mountaineer on November 28th, 2011
| 1 person likes this
What is your favorite inspirational quote ? This one is good, by NBA coach Phil Jackson.
by calmwaters1 on January 13th, 2012
| 3 people like this
Who wrote the quote"Live life to the fullest?"?
by Answerbag Staff on March 22nd, 2010
| 1 person likes this
Who wrote the quote"Life is what you make of it"?
by Answerbag Staff on March 13th, 2010
| 1 person likes this
You're reading Who said:"Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn't have it in the beginning"?
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Comments
Mensan, that's true but he is also responsible for the split between Pakistan and India because of his insistence on bringing Hindu beliefs into the constitution. Too much religion isn't good for anyone. He wanted to turn India back into a rural economy where people wove their own clothes and practice subsistence farming.
by Ron C on October 23rd, 2009
It doesn't mean that his quote is now false.
by Stevie on October 23rd, 2009
I agree that he had many good qualities; he just should have stayed out of politics after India gained its independence.
by Ron C on October 23rd, 2009
Nice. Thanks Mensan.
by Perryman on October 23rd, 2009
Ok fair enough, but that goes for just about every politician.
by Stevie on October 23rd, 2009
Yeah but Gandhi stopped being a lawyer and decided to be a holy man. I think the standards should be higher for those who profess to lead us spiritually.
by Ron C on October 23rd, 2009
Thanks for the points, friends!
by Anonymous on October 23rd, 2009
I think the standards should be high for any individual who professes he/she has the ability to lead us to an improved society. And I don't think it matters if he remained a lawyer or if he was always spiritual, I think they both believe they are right 100% of the time regardless of the facts they choose to ignore.
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I do understand your, shall I say lack of respect for Gandhi. I feel that way about everyone. I basically look at everyone as equals and to respect one person more than another, to me, is wrong only because if one person was born into an entirely different environment, that person would have been completely different. I think about a white supremecist who maybe was given up for adoption to be adopted by a black family. Think that person would still turn out to be a white supremecist? I don't.
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This is how I feel about Gandhi. He grew up in an area predominantly inhabited by Hindus and therefore had their interests more in mind than others.
by Stevie on October 23rd, 2009
I actually respect much of what he stood for especially since he started out as a lawyer and overcame that handicap. All I want to say is that if you mix religion with politics, you have disaster. I can't think of any successful government that mixed religion and politics and ended up with a population that was happy and not repressed.
by Ron C on October 23rd, 2009
Agreed.
by Stevie on October 23rd, 2009
I believe that "The Holy See" (The Vatican) has done so, successfully.
by Anonymous on October 23rd, 2009
They've mixed the two I'll agree. I don't know that I'll agree everyone's happy with it. I would consider myself a happy person, but it doesn't mean I'm happy with the form of governing in the U.S. Not that I'm trying to use it as an example of mixing religion and politics, but it can be to a lesser extent, but to compare it with people who live within the Vatican's walls. Just because someone is happy, doesn't mean they are with the governing, even if they don't realize it. IMHO.
by Stevie on October 23rd, 2009
Considering that most of the people living in the Vatican vowed to poverty, chastity, and obedience, how would they know if they were happy or not.
The last time the Vatican held real political power, witch burnings were popular and heretics were burned. That's not much different than living in Saudi Arabia or under the Taliban.
by Ron C on October 23rd, 2009